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Ta’leef aims to make service & good character a standard.

Ta’leef Collective has a diverse board ranging from scholars, community leaders, activists and business professionals. Our Board of Directors are responsible for overseeing the management of Ta’leef’s mission at an operational level and our Board of Trustees provide input into long-term strategy and organizational needs.

Diane Stair

Executive Director

& Board Member

A lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, Diane began working in Silicon Valley directly out of college, and moved through the waves of technology innovation over the next twenty-five years. She joined Cisco Systems in 1998, and eight years later, working alongside Muslim engineering colleagues, she became curious about Islam. On a 2007 trip to Pakistan for a hospital networking project at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (during which she and her colleagues met Imran Khan, now Prime Minister) Diane experienced pivotal openings about Islam. Upon her return, she embarked on a journey of discovery working with a small Zawiyah run by Usama Canon, and with luminaries at Zaytuna Institute. Soon after, Diane took her shahada with Usama Canon and volunteered as an advisor to both Ta’leef and Zaytuna Institute (as a member of the Management Committee which helped launch Zaytuna College in 2010). In 2011, Diane made a career change, choosing to devote herself to Muslim non-profit organizations. During her three-year stint in Development and Community Outreach at Zaytuna College, she also joined the Ta’leef Board. In November 2017, Diane came aboard as Ta’leef Collective's first Executive Director.

Sameena Basha

Board Member

Sameena Basha holds a Bachelor's of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, followed by a law degree from the University of Chicago. In the last decade, she has largely focused her time as a community organizer by serving on the boards and committees of Islamic non-profits in Illinois, Arizona and Michigan. Some of her various projects and interests include coordinating interactive Qur'an programs for youth, developing refugee assistance & support for the homeless, organizing Muslim girl scout programs, streamlining masjid facility clean-ups, and hosting spiritual retreats, events and classes. She enjoys hiking, bicycling and gardening in her spare time.

Parvez Ahmed

Board Member

Parvez Ahmed is an attorney specializing in business litigation and electronic discovery. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco where he teaches a course on Islamic Jurisprudence and serves as Chair of the Development Committee of the Board of Directors at Ta'leef Collective. He has taught undergraduate courses related to Islam and Islamic Civilizations at the University of Arkansas and Wayne State University and has lectured on topics related to Islam at various college campuses, forums, and religious institutions. Parvez studied Arabic, Islamic Theology and Jurisprudence under the tutelage of teachers in Michigan, Chicago, and Cairo. He has been involved with the Muslim community for over 25 years serving as advisor and on the boards of several Muslim organizations and institutions. For almost 5 years, Parvez has co-hosted Diffused Congruence: The American Muslim Experience, a monthly podcast seeking to celebrate the many facets of the American Muslim experience.
A native Texan, he presently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two daughters.

Mansoor Kazi

Board Member

Mansoor Kazi is a Principal at Bain & Company, where he focuses on Customer Experience and Digital Innovation, Customer Strategy, and Retail Private Equity. He has been a leader in the firm's efforts at incorporating Design Thinking into product and experience re-designs and has served clients throughout the U.S. and Middle East. He holds a J.D. from the Northwestern School of Law and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management. Mansoor was born in Texas, but lived most of his life in Augusta, Georgia. He currently resides in Chicago with his wife and two daughters and is an avid Tarheels fan; he’s also passionate about everything related to food.

Usama Canon

Founder

Born and raised in California, Usama Canon embraced Islam in 1996 and has been a student of the tradition ever since, studying various Islamic Sciences both stateside and abroad under some of today's foremost scholars. During the last decade, Usama served as the Outreach Director and an Arabic Instructor at Zaytuna Institute, as well as a Muslim Chaplain for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Usama is the Founding Director of Ta'leef Collective, a community based non-profit focused on assisting converts to Islam and creating healthy social and sacred spaces. He is also a spiritual advisor to the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), visiting Chicago monthly in this capacity. In addition to speaking in various communities throughout the United States, Usama leads workshops and retreats worldwide. Usama is currently on sabbatical, after the announcement of his diagnosis of ALS. If you are interested in supporting Usama through the Legacy Fund, find out more here.

Imam Zaid Shakir

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Imam Zaid is among the most respected and influential Islamic scholars in the West. As an American Muslim who came of age during the civil rights struggles, he has brought both sensitivity about race and poverty issues and scholarly discipline to his faith-based work. Born in Berkeley, California, he accepted Islam in 1977 while serving in the United States Air Force. He obtained a BA with honors in International Relations at American University in Washington D.C. and later earned his MA in Political Science at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, he led a successful campaign for disinvestment from South Africa, and co-founded a local Islamic center, Masjid al-Huda. He is a renowned speaker at North American & international Muslim events and has emerged as one of the nation’s top Islamic scholars and a voice of conscience for American Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He recently has been honored to lead the funeral services of the one and only Muhammad Ali, and also a victim of police shootings, Stephon Clarke.

David Coolidge

Trustee

R. David Coolidge worked as a Muslim chaplain from 2008-2013, first at Dartmouth College and then at Brown University. Prior to that he obtained degrees from Princeton University as well as Brown, focusing on the study of religion and Islamic studies. In addition to his academic experience, he has studied Arabic and the Islamic sciences with Muslim scholars since he converted in 1998. He currently lives in Manhattan with his wife Sumaiya and son Zayn.

Diego Arancibia

Trustee

Diego Arancibia’s work in the field of organizational management and leadership spans for nearly two decades. His experience ranges from educational and community settings. Both at the programmatic and administrative levels, his innovative methods have produced some of the most successful and recognized youth programs in the nation. He has traveled across the state and nation training youth program advocates in consensus building and strategic planning. Diego has also served as a founding board member for Voz Alta, the Logan Islamic Community Center and Academia Moderna. Currently, Diego is an After School Specialist with ASAPconnect, whose aim is to provide professional development opportunities for After School trainers, consultants, mentors and coaches. Diego lives in the Bay Area with his wife, son and daughter.

Diane Stair

Executive Director

& Board Member

A lifelong resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, Diane began working in Silicon Valley directly out of college, and moved through the waves of technology innovation over the next twenty-five years. She joined Cisco Systems in 1998, and eight years later, working alongside Muslim engineering colleagues, she became curious about Islam. On a 2007 trip to Pakistan for a hospital networking project at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (during which she and her colleagues met Imran Khan, now Prime Minister) Diane experienced pivotal openings about Islam. Upon her return, she embarked on a journey of discovery working with a small Zawiyah run by Usama Canon, and with luminaries at Zaytuna Institute. Soon after, Diane took her shahada with Usama Canon and volunteered as an advisor to both Ta’leef and Zaytuna Institute (as a member of the Management Committee which helped launch Zaytuna College in 2010). In 2011, Diane made a career change, choosing to devote herself to Muslim non-profit organizations. During her three-year stint in Development and Community Outreach at Zaytuna College, she also joined the Ta’leef Board. In November 2017, Diane came aboard as Ta’leef Collective's first Executive Director.

Usama Canon

Founder

Born and raised in California, Usama Canon embraced Islam in 1996 and has been a student of the tradition ever since, studying various Islamic Sciences both stateside and abroad under some of today's foremost scholars. During the last decade, Usama served as the Outreach Director and an Arabic Instructor at Zaytuna Institute, as well as a Muslim Chaplain for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Usama is the Founding Director of Ta'leef Collective, a community based non-profit focused on assisting converts to Islam and creating healthy social and sacred spaces. He is also a spiritual advisor to the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), visiting Chicago monthly in this capacity. In addition to speaking in various communities throughout the United States, Usama leads workshops and retreats worldwide. Usama is currently on sabbatical, after the announcement of his diagnosis of ALS. If you are interested in supporting Usama through the Legacy Fund, find out more here.

Sameena Basha

Board Member

Sameena Basha holds a Bachelor's of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, followed by a law degree from the University of Chicago. In the last decade, she has largely focused her time as a community organizer by serving on the boards and committees of Islamic non-profits in Illinois, Arizona and Michigan. Some of her various projects and interests include coordinating interactive Qur'an programs for youth, developing refugee assistance & support for the homeless, organizing Muslim girl scout programs, streamlining masjid facility clean-ups, and hosting spiritual retreats, events and classes. She enjoys hiking, bicycling and gardening in her spare time.

Imam Zaid Shakir

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Imam Zaid is among the most respected and influential Islamic scholars in the West. As an American Muslim who came of age during the civil rights struggles, he has brought both sensitivity about race and poverty issues and scholarly discipline to his faith-based work. Born in Berkeley, California, he accepted Islam in 1977 while serving in the United States Air Force. He obtained a BA with honors in International Relations at American University in Washington D.C. and later earned his MA in Political Science at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, he led a successful campaign for disinvestment from South Africa, and co-founded a local Islamic center, Masjid al-Huda. He is a renowned speaker at North American & international Muslim events and has emerged as one of the nation’s top Islamic scholars and a voice of conscience for American Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He recently has been honored to lead the funeral services of the one and only Muhammad Ali, and also a victim of police shootings, Stephon Clarke.

Parvez Ahmed

Board Member

Parvez Ahmed is an attorney specializing in business litigation and electronic discovery. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco where he teaches a course on Islamic Jurisprudence and serves as Chair of the Development Committee of the Board of Directors at Ta'leef Collective. He has taught undergraduate courses related to Islam and Islamic Civilizations at the University of Arkansas and Wayne State University and has lectured on topics related to Islam at various college campuses, forums, and religious institutions. Parvez studied Arabic, Islamic Theology and Jurisprudence under the tutelage of teachers in Michigan, Chicago, and Cairo. He has been involved with the Muslim community for over 25 years serving as advisor and on the boards of several Muslim organizations and institutions. For almost 5 years, Parvez has co-hosted Diffused Congruence: The American Muslim Experience, a monthly podcast seeking to celebrate the many facets of the American Muslim experience.
A native Texan, he presently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two daughters.

David Coolidge

Trustee

R. David Coolidge worked as a Muslim chaplain from 2008-2013, first at Dartmouth College and then at Brown University. Prior to that he obtained degrees from Princeton University as well as Brown, focusing on the study of religion and Islamic studies. In addition to his academic experience, he has studied Arabic and the Islamic sciences with Muslim scholars since he converted in 1998. He currently lives in Manhattan with his wife Sumaiya and son Zayn.

Mansoor Kazi

Board Member

Mansoor Kazi is a Principal at Bain & Company, where he focuses on Customer Experience and Digital Innovation, Customer Strategy, and Retail Private Equity. He has been a leader in the firm's efforts at incorporating Design Thinking into product and experience re-designs and has served clients throughout the U.S. and Middle East. He holds a J.D. from the Northwestern School of Law and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management. Mansoor was born in Texas, but lived most of his life in Augusta, Georgia. He currently resides in Chicago with his wife and two daughters and is an avid Tarheels fan; he’s also passionate about everything related to food.

Diego Arancibia

Trustee

Diego Arancibia’s work in the field of organizational management and leadership spans for nearly two decades. His experience ranges from educational and community settings. Both at the programmatic and administrative levels, his innovative methods have produced some of the most successful and recognized youth programs in the nation. He has traveled across the state and nation training youth program advocates in consensus building and strategic planning. Diego has also served as a founding board member for Voz Alta, the Logan Islamic Community Center and Academia Moderna. Currently, Diego is an After School Specialist with ASAPconnect, whose aim is to provide professional development opportunities for After School trainers, consultants, mentors and coaches. Diego lives in the Bay Area with his wife, son and daughter.